America Arming Mexican Drug Cartels?

Agent Terry was killed with one of those guns. It was sold at a Glendale, Arizona shop monitored by the ATF. It is also likely another American, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jaime Zapata, killed in Mexico on February 15th, was also a victim of Project Gunrunner. The weapon used in that crime was traced to Otilio Osorio, a Dallas-area man, allegedly tied to a crime group that assists cartels by illegally selling them guns from the U.S. Yet because 40 separate guns were involved in the purchase, ties to Agent Zapata’s death have yet to be officially confirmed.

There is also another explosive charge revealed, once again, by CBS News. The network is reporting that the ATF wasn’t the only agency involved in the gunrunning operations. “Documents show ATF had conference calls with ‘DHS’ (Homeland Security). ‘USMS’ (U.S. Marshals) and DEA. An ‘Ice’ or Customs Agent was on ATF’s Fast and Furious team. They were advised by an ‘AUSA’ or Assistant U.S. Attorney under the Justice Department,” says CBS. In addition, Mr. Issa believes the State Department was also involved. He sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding her agency’s refusal to turn over documents and information about the ATF as well, characterizing the State Department’s stonewalling as “simply unacceptable.”

AG Eric Holder claims an investigation is proceeding. “The aim of the ATF is to try to stop the flow of guns. I think they do a good job in that regard. Questions have been raised by ATF agents about the way in which some of these operations have been conducted. I think those questions have to be taken seriously, and on that basis, I’ve asked the Inspector General to look at it.” Senator Grassley remains skeptical regarding the IG. “The president saying the Inspector General is investigating is a laugh,” Grassely told radio host Laura Ingraham. “I have respect for most Inspector Generals, and maybe even this one. But we’ve been stonewalled so much, that I’m not even going to trust an Inspector General’s report on this particular incidence. I want the facts to come, I want the documents, we need to know this because, you know there’s a murder come out of this[.]”

He also had some blunt advice for both Attorney General Holder and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, another administration official who, under questioning, has claimed not to know anything about Project Gunrunner: “I can tell these two folks, relatively new in their office (sic) two years…the longer they’re stonewalling, the longer they’re trying to protect their public relations so they don’t look bad, and when things eventually come out, they got more egg on their face (sic) than ever. So they ought to wake up, get the information out and get this thing behind them.”

Mr. Issa has made it clear where his investigation is headed. “The unwillingness of this Administration–most specifically the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms–to answer questions about this deadly serious matter is deeply troubling,” said the chairman in a statement. “Allegations surrounding this program are serious and the ability of the Justice Department to conduct an impartial investigation is in question. Congressional oversight is necessary to get the truth about what is really happening.”

For those who appreciate irony, it should be noted that last Monday, President Obama accepted a transparency in government award from the organizers of the National Freedom of Information Day Conference. The ceremony was off limits for the press. With the notable exception of CBS News and the work of reporter Sharyl Attkisson, it appears that Project Gunrunner has also been largely “off limits” for the mainstream media, along with a “transparent” Obama administration which requires a subpoena in order to release information. There is a major scandal brewing here, and the deaths of one, or possibly two, Americans may be just the beginning: according to several reports, guns from this botched sting operation are showing up at crime scenes in Mexico. The United States? Guns that can be “walked” into Mexico can just as easily be walked back.

Arnold Ahlert is a former NY Post op-ed columnist currently contributing to JewishWorldReview.com, HumanEvents.com and CanadaFreePress.com. He may be reached at atahlert@comcast.net.

PAthena

When did this policy start?

james

2005.

i bet you didnt know that the stimulus package passed in 2009 when Obama came into office had 10 Million set aside for this program

geez

Obama, Holder, Napolitano, Biden and Clinton… on and on you can list the names of these Mao and Chavez loving losers elected to lead the greatest country in the world… Reid, Polosi, Dean, Web, and Frank… more bottom feeders. How long are we going to let them consume the fruits of our labor all the while selling out our freedom? If we can get the socialist loving progressive Obama out of the White House in 2012 then eventually drain the swamp where these leaches live, there may be a chance of survival. We will need divine intervention to clean up this toxic dump of progressive's. Then we can deal from a position of strength with George Soros.

Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, the Libyan rebel leader, has said al Qaeda jihadists who fought against allied troops in Iraq are on the front lines of the battle against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. Mr al-Hasidi insisted his fighters “are patriots and good Muslims, not terrorists,” but added that the “members of al-Qaeda are also good Muslims and are fighting against the invader”.

Ahhhh..hmmmm… NATO and we are the invader… and the inepts Obama and Clinton are going arm the rebels? And Holder and Janet Napolitano are going arm the cartels? The Obama Admin is a cluster f*&k!!!

pagegl

This adminstration has been claiming that gun shops along the border have been selling guns to the cartels. Kinda sounds like they wanted to make sure it was true.

Dispozovdaburka

As former President Clinton said "borders are just nets."
NWO

Oldpuppymax

The ATF is vehemently anti gun rights. Acting ATF head Ken Melman believes in the confiscation of firearms from the American public. Project Gunrunner has been used to walk guns across the Mexican border in order to provide "evidence" that guns used by drug cartels originate in the US! The agenda–provide the excuse necessary to demand new, tougher anti-gun legislation. The story of this disgrace is being SPIKED by NBC, ABC, CNN, the NY Times, the WaPo and other Obama owned media sources.

coyote3

I really can't say enough about my outrage. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I was trained to put the "outrage" aside. Unfortunately, I have to even put aside my own brother agent's murder. What is worse, is that an ATF agent, told the dealer to sell the firearm in a straw purchase. I have to be careful here, but I am glad I retired. I used to have respect for the ATF. They have no jurisdiction to "mandate" that anyone, dealer or otherwise, sell anything to anyone. A lot of these dealers are intimidated by them, and there is some basis for that. Also, a lot of dealers think that by cooperating with them, there won't be as much "heat" on them. That doesn't work, they don't care. No law enforcement agency is supposed to be your friend, but in this case they engaged in a course of conduct, just at the time the debate about "gun" traces was going on. It looks like, through the investigation, that it was not coincidental and was to provide support for more unconstitutional firearms regulation. I fear that an otherwise honorable agency has had its shield tarnished forever.

james

thank you for your service. alot of the things you probably want to say and cant were said by the ATF Agent Dodson who was interviewed by CBS News at the first of Maarch. Vids can be found on youtube.

Fred Dawes

The drug cartel's are in fact nothing but tools of the mexican government who hate this nation don't be fooled and this gunrunner BS Was setup to be frond out, its part of the game to remove the USA And its people

Amused

This is what happens when INCOMPETENT BUREAUCRATS are appointed jobs , heading departments or agencies of the US GOVT. -as "poliical plums " .ATF has a long history of screwing things up , resulting in getting people killed . Some people here , out of ignorance or just plain ole' dumbass partisan politics wanna blame their Arch Enemy -Obama . The most egregious of course being 9/11 , incompetence so stunning , it's no wonder the DULLARDS in this country assume " conspiracy " .
So it goes on , screw up after screw up , with disastrous results , occur under EACH ADMINISTRATION ….BUSH INCLUDED . YET- NO HEADS HAVE ROLLED , under ANY ADMIN . Not even an underling !! FBI incompetence , infighting between the premier intelligence agencies of this country , is a disgrace , and the politicians reactions even more so . So again the idiots are screeching conspiracy , when in actuality , we appoint total incompetents to head the very agenciey charged with Security of this country .

Amused

Louis Freeze under Clinton , should have been prosecuted , NO ONE involved in Ruby Ridge or Wacko , was fired or even publicly reprimanded . A former announcer of "Horse Shows " is appointed Head of Fema , , and was buisy at a dinner engagement as Katrina struck , and disaster followed , first by nature , then by plain human INCOMPETENCE . On this thread one can easily see how the moronic distractions from the facts , do nothing more than facilitate this practice . Wake up people , the practice of rewarding idiots with government jobs , transcends BOTH parties , anjd when blatant screwups occur , like this present ATF "sting " ,letting the guns walk , eventually resulting in our own people being killed , NO NONE GETS FIRED !! WTF !!

james

ten million is what i read somewhere

PAUL P

We all know about the ATF arming mexican drug cartels/informants. Fact of the matter is the cartels are not just getting weapons from the US. most of the weapons the US brought to mexico were semi automatic weapons not machine guns. The picture above shows a mexican with a israeli rifle. Its obvious they are getting many of their weapons from the middle east or central america.

shavager

OPERATION "WIDE RECEIVER" WAS RUN BY W. BUSH, WITH CO-OPERATION OF MEXICAN GOVERNMENT USING WEAPONS RIGGED WITH ID TRACKING CHIPS RESULTING IN 1400 ARRESTS–it BEGAN in 2005 and ENDED in 2007 when ATF found the cartels had discovered the tracking chips imbedded in the weapons and were ripping the chips out of the guns. "Fast and Furious" began in October 2009–TWO YEARS AFTER BUSH's PROGRAM, no one in the administration advised President Felipe Calderon of Mexico the operation was going on, there were NO TRACKING CHIPS imbedded and ATF DID NOT TRACK THE WEAPONS! IT CAME TO END BECAUSE ATF WHISTLEBLOWERS WENT TO CONGRESS OVER THIS INCORRIGIBLE PROGRAM THAT RESULTED WITH HUNDREDS OF DEAD MEXICANS AND DEAD LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ON BOTH SIDES OF BORDER! Instead AMERICANS WERE BLAMED FOR THE OPERATION AND PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS when in reality it has been reported by Washington Times report that OWEbama was RUNNING GUNS to the Sinaloa Cartel as a countermeasure against the Los Zetas cartel the CIA sees as a legitimate threat to the outgoing Mexican presidency of Felipe Calderon. Reporters Robert Farago and Ralph Dixon say: "The CIA's motive is clear enough: The U.S. government is afraid the Los Zetas drug cartel will mount a successful coup de'tat against the government of Felipe Calderon." THAT'S WHY OWEbama WON'T ALLOW THE "FAST AND FURIOUS" EMAILS AND INFORMATION TO BE SEEN BY CONGRESS!!